Lawyers to decide fate of Pocono Township supervisor

Pocono Township officials continue to research whether one of its supervisors can keep a job in its Department of Public Works.

MICHAEL SADOWSKI

Pocono Township officials continue to research whether one of its supervisors can keep a job in its Department of Public Works.

Frank Hess, chairman of the township's Board of Supervisors, said lawyers are researching whether Supervisor Harold Werkheiser still has a position in the department after he was removed as department director Jan. 7.

In the meantime, Supervisor Henry Bengel, who took over Werkheiser's position, said Werkheiser showed up to work Monday. But Bengel said he did not give him any assignments while the attorneys hash out the situation.

Hess said he couldn't comment further because of the involvement of the lawyers for both sides.

"I just want to do whatever we have to do to make this right," Hess said. "I'd rather us not spend the (legal costs), nor make them spend them, on this, when we could have had a cup of coffee and settled this."

Werkheiser, a 19-year-veteran of the department, had been the department's director for five years. On Jan. 7, the township's Board of Supervisors voted to elevate Bengel to the position — in essence firing Werkheiser. Bengel voted for himself in the 2-1 vote.

However, Werkheiser claims there was an agreement in place under a previous administration allowing him to return to the union if he should ever lose his position as director of the department.

At the Jan. 7 meeting, he did not produce that agreement. Former supervisors at the meeting, including longtime Supervisor Jane Cilurso, also claimed it existed. Hess said township Solicitor Jeffrey Durney is researching whether the agreement exists.

Bengel had said he was requesting a salary of $72,000 with no benefits. He said it is less than the township paid for Werkheiser's services of about $78,000, including benefits. Without benefits, Werkheiser's base salary was $58,000.

In the meantime, Werkheiser has requested that his appointed position of assistant secretary/treasurer be a full-time, paid position with benefits.

Jennifer Wise spoke for Werkheiser at a recent meeting of the township's Board of Auditors to make that argument. However, the board decided not to take action on the request, and instead chose to hire a lawyer to help guide it through the muddled process.